Japanese cleyera

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade is helpful in hot, dry locations.

Water

Keep evenly moist while establishing. Established shrubs tolerate short dry spells, but need deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Acidic, humus-rich, well-drained soil; avoid alkaline soil and sites that remain waterlogged.

Height

10-15 ft (3-4.6 m), occasionally taller in favorable conditions

Spread

6-10 ft (1.8-3 m)

Flowers

Small, creamy-white, lightly fragrant flowers in late spring to early summer, often hidden beneath the foliage.

Foliage

Evergreen. Glossy, leathery, oval leaves with smooth margins; new growth is bronze to reddish before turning dark green.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   3 ft (1 m)

3. After 2 years

   5 ft (1.5 m)

4. After 3 years

   7 ft (2 m)

5. After 5 years

   10 ft (3 m)

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Water deeply during the first two growing seasons whenever the upper soil begins to dry.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Apply a modest amount of fertilizer for acid-loving shrubs in spring only if growth is weak or soil testing indicates a need.
• Keep the root zone well drained; do not compensate for yellow leaves by watering already wet soil.
• In colder parts of its range, choose a position sheltered from drying winter winds.

Pruning. Prune after flowering, shortening selected branches to a leafy side shoot and removing dead or crossing wood. Light clipping will maintain a hedge, but repeated close shearing hides the natural form and removes much of the colorful new growth.

Spring

Plant after severe frost risk has passed in colder districts; water thoroughly and mulch.

Spring

Check growth and leaf color; feed lightly only where needed.

Early summer

Prune or lightly trim after flowering.

Summer

Water during extended dry weather and inspect leaves and stems for scale insects.

Autumn

Plant in mild-winter districts and refresh mulch; avoid feeding to encourage late growth.

Winter

Protect young shrubs from drying winds and check that the root area is not waterlogged.

• Use as an evergreen boundary screen where there is room for its mature width.
• Plant behind azaleas and camellias to provide a dark, year-round backdrop.
• Grow as a loose hedge along a driveway or property edge rather than a tightly clipped, narrow barrier.
• Use a single shrub beside a shaded patio, where the glossy foliage and bronze new growth can be seen closely.

Garden styles it suits: Japanese, Woodland, Southern, Traditional, Green on green and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Camellias, Azaleas, Japanese pieris, Gardenias, Autumn fern and Liriope.

Wildlife: The small flowers attract visiting insects. Dense evergreen branches provide shelter for birds.

• Yellow leaves with green veins often indicate iron deficiency in alkaline soil: test the soil and correct the growing conditions; use a container with acidic compost if the garden soil is strongly alkaline.
• Root rot in saturated soil causes wilting and decline: improve drainage, reduce watering and replace badly affected plants rather than replanting into the same wet conditions.
• Scale insects can cause sticky honeydew and sooty mold: inspect stems and leaf undersides, remove small infestations and use a labeled horticultural oil when appropriate.
• Winter wind and strong sun can scorch leaves: shelter exposed plants and water during dry spells when the ground is unfrozen.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, but species-specific safety information is limited. Leaves and fruits are not food and should not be eaten.

• Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica)

  Camellia leaves usually have finely toothed edges and its flowers are much larger and showier; Japanese cleyera has smooth leaf margins and small, inconspicuous flowers.

• Red-tip photinia (Photinia × fraseri)

  Photinia also has red new growth, but its leaves have clearly toothed edges and its white flowers appear in conspicuous clusters.

Ternstroemia honors the Swedish naturalist Christopher Ternström, while the common name reflects its resemblance to plants in the genus Cleyera.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer and root them in a free-draining medium under humid conditions. Seed is another option, but seedlings may vary and named cultivars should be propagated from cuttings.

Accepted botanical name

Ternstroemia gymnanthera

Native range

Assam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Measured

Average height 880 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.